Ethics and Morality

Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear— And he shows them pearly white— Just a jackknife has Macheath, dear— And he keeps it out of sight.

If ever I said, in grief or pride, I tired of honest things, I lied.

I am alone; all drowns in the Pharisees’ hypocrisy. To live your life is not as simple as to cross a field. 1

The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.

Neither fear nor courage saves us. Unnatural vices Are fathered by our heroism. Virtues Are forced upon us by our impudent crimes. These tears are shaken from the wrath-bearing tree.

After such knowledge, what forgiveness? Think now History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors And issues, deceives with whispering ambitions, Guides us by vanities.

Upon the glazen shelves kept watch Matthew and Waldo, guardians of the faith, The army of unalterable law.

No picture is made to endure nor to live with but it is made to sell and sell quickly with usura, sin against nature, is thy bread ever more of stale rags is thy bread dry as paper.

With Usura With usura hath no man a house of good stone each block cut smooth and well fitting.

All men by their nature give praise.

A. A violent order is disorder; and B. A great disorder is an order. These Two things are one.

Before I built a wall I’d ask to know What I was walling in or walling out.

My apple trees will never get across And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him. He only says, “Good fences make good neighbors.” 1

Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.

Hear me, ambitious souls, Sex is the curse of life!

A leveling, rancorous, rational sort of mind That never looked out of the eye of a saint Or out of drunkard’s eye.

Odor of blood when Christ was slain Made all Platonic tolerance vain And vain all Doric discipline.

In courtesy I’d have her chiefly learned; Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned.

Be secret and exult, Because of all things known That is most difficult.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch.

The sin ye do by two and two ye must pay for one by one.

Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst, Where there aren’t no Ten Commandments, an’ a man can raise a thirst.

A child should always say what’s true And speak when he is spoken to, And behave mannerly at table; At least as far as he is able.

The gratifying feeling that our duty has been done.